Art
I spent the day at the AGO, finally taking in the work of Modigliani. Someone told me I would find the best lips in the city at that exhibit and she just might be right. I decided to purchase the student AGO membership while I could.
The idea of being no longer a student but a real, official adult who pays real, official adult prices is unimaginable to me right now. But what's worse is the idea of not having learning in the real traditional way. I think I'm a late-blooming student. I never appreciated the gift of education until recently and find myself rushing to absorb as much knowledge as possible while still as student. We all know that the learning doesn't stops once you're out of school, it just happens that we switch gears and learning is no longer a priority like it should be while a student. I never took full advantage of the opportunities I've had to expand my knowledge of history, art, geography, politics, etc. during my undergrad and now I regret it. I don't want to fall into the trap of a full-time job that consumes my life and restricts learning about everything else in the world!
Anyway, I made a new pact to myself, (it's kind of a resolution for this year,) I'm going to re-learn art, first and foremost, art history. I know, just like jazz, it's a large project, but I don't mean to be an expert, I just want to know the basics of who contributed to what movement and where and why and how. So I need to start again from the beginning and with my unlimited visits to the AGO and perhaps a book or two, I'm going to learn all I can about art.
If anyone has suggestions for good books, films, etc. to start with, please share!
Film: Basquiat
I like this film and I enjoy this artist muchly.
Books: The Visual Arts: A History (H.Honour, J. Fleming), Art Since 1940: Strategies of Being (J.Fineberg), Flemish and Dutch Painting (I don't know the author)
The first two books are pretty standard Art History text books. Meaty but not too dry, in terms of content. Lots of pics and Art Since 1940 will look cool on your coffee table. Enjoy!
Also, I think the Ago bookstore is, at times, more interesting that the Gallery itself. Look for marked down books there.
Peace.
Posted by:Lady L | January 24, 2005 at 10:47 AM
Oh, I've seen Basquiat, it was great! Gotta love Bowie as Andy Warhol...but thanks for the book suggestions. In high school, we used Shock of the New and it was pretty, but I'm interested in reading other books too.
Posted by:Andrea Chiu | January 24, 2005 at 11:23 AM
Andrea - I admire you taking on this HUGE endeavour. I can't really tell you where to start, but I can say I haven't contributed anything to art. Well, that's not true. Over the years I've learned to draw naked women really well, and guys all over Canada, the US, parts of Sweden and Alaska see my work every time they use a public facility.
I have a sneaking suspicion I'm gonna see you at Broken Social Scene tonight. I'm betting my first born on it. Okay fine, just a bag of chips.
Posted by:Marcus | January 25, 2005 at 02:36 AM
Marcus - this art thing is scary and it's more of a lifelong endeavor, probably one I will never complete, but I'll try. And yes, you are right. Tonight, me and my posse of short people will be present at Lee's drinking bottles of 50. See ya there!
Posted by:Andrea Chiu | January 25, 2005 at 03:22 AM
I highly recommend the books of James Elkins, especially The Object Stares Back, Stories of Art, and What Painting Is, all of which go beyond the usual art-canon, art-theory version of talking about art really to wonder *why* we look at art and *how* we can and should do it. Good luck with that, Andrea!
Posted by:Carl | January 25, 2005 at 07:08 AM
i approve of this endeavour (and need to re-discover art myself). i have some books on contemporary art (and a taschen quickie glossover of some of its artists) if you want to borrow...
Posted by:brian | January 26, 2005 at 08:12 AM
It's quite old (1989), but a book I found useful when I wanted to raise the bar a bit on my art knowlege was Art of the Western World: From Ancient Greece to Post-modernism.
Balfour Books at College and Clinton carries a lot of art books. Tell the owner what you want to do and he could suggest some titles. Similarly, if you're at the AGO, ask one of the tour guides or store staff for recommendations.
A film some of my ahht world acquaintances speak highly of is Pollock, about the American artist Jackson Pollock.
Posted by:Bill Doskoch | January 28, 2005 at 01:00 AM